Ophelia observes Carnifex, "Ahh, well." She looks about and watches her men continuing the sparring session, "Having been nearly accused of being an enemy of the Order, I fail to see that what I said was funny. If you'll excuse me. I'm supposed to hunt enemies of the Order. I don't determine who the enemy is, the enemy does that by his actions." She gets up and walks to a different spot to observe her men.
Crispian comes over to Ophelia. Do not be hard on them (gesturing to the Tremere). And we were not laughing at you but more at an inside joke with the local Redcaps. It pains the Tremere because they have been fighting the vampires for hundreds of years. You see, there are so many vampires in this Tribunal...No. How should I put it. He scratches his chin for a moment.
Everything could be an vampire here. Ruth interjects. People, dogs, trees, even pumpkins. I've see a small flowering plant that lives on blood. We have a lot of training in recognizing the signs. It is one of the reasons we travel in larger groups in this Tribunal.
Crispian nods. Rightly so. I'm not sure if the vampires are enemies of the Order but if you get an outbreak in your area you and your men will be fighting them.
"I took offense to the laughter of your Redcaps. Are you so jaded to supernatural threats that you laugh at them? Use them to mock your sodales? I like a good jest, don't get me wrong, I suppose the laughter of the Redcaps made it seem as if I was making a joke that I wasn't intending. My sentiments were offered in earnest, and then laughed at. Either they found the sentiment funny, or it's an inside joke."
((the redcaps are talking to you. Crispian and Ruth))
I forgot to change the Redcaps to you Redcaps the second time. The first time she said to your Redcaps and, let's say she was speaking directly to Crispian.
Tytalus' wrinkly ass! You need to lighten up or this Tribunal will eat you alive. Jaded to the threats? No. It was more about you saying 'if we knew a vampire'. We all have had encounters with them. I imagine we shall see one or two on this trip. And before you try to take them on, the Tribunal trains vampire hunters. I would recommend that you talk to them. We can defeat them. They can destroy them.
Ophelia responds sardonically, "Already had a Tribunal eat me up. Can't be worse than the last time. You might even say that what remains is what was spit out."
Returning to the subject of vampires, and trying to get it off her attitude or past, "Are vampires not susceptible to Perdo Vim spells? Or is it that they are infernal, and like a demon so destroyed they could come back. My magic lore on them is perhaps less than informed."
Crispian turns to Gala and Honorius who were listening. I'm not sure. Not being a Gifted.
You can defeat them with Perdo Vim but they come back rather quickly. And not a different one but the same one. Honorius says.
My understand is that it has something to do with their nature. Gala interjects.
"So destroy the physical manifestations, collect the vis, and choose not to use it?" Ophelia muses, "Or use it, and be prepared for the return? Are all vampires the same, or is this only a power of certain vampires of infernal, or faerie or magical realms? I think I can safely leave off divine."
If you mean do they have the same nature? I would hazard to guess that is a yes. Gala responds. But I would ask the Fectors. They could give you better answers.
"Fectors?"
Gala replies Oh, Sorry. They are the vampire hunters. A hedge tradition that has been, as I understand it, brought into the Order. They can be kind of spooky.
Be cautious with them, Ophelia. Honorius says. I'm not sure I trust the Fectors.
What is wrong with them? Yoan asks.
Yes. I've met one and they seem alright. adds Ruth
"Why aren't you sure about trusting them?"
Just my feeling. There is something not right. Honorius hesitates a bit then goes on. They seem to do a decent job but the history of my House makes me nervous in their case.
"Acknowledged, I'll be wary about them."
The barge continues on for several days. Passing through a large city that Honorius tells Ophelia is Belgrade. They stop briefly at a city called Kovin and pick up two Redcaps named Diana and Lupul who are alos going to the Tribunal. Diana represents an oppidum called Kezdö Válasz. Lupul represents an oppidum called Scholomance.
After yet another day of travel, the barge lands on the south bank of the Danube where another river joins it from the north ( Olt River). A group of mules and horses are there with some grogs for the overland journey.
Marcalla final emerges from her cabin. She looks to be in her late 40's with black hair lined with grey, wearing the dark brown robes of her House. She acknowledges greeting from the Redcaps but not the Tremere. Anytime they speak with her she is very short in her responses.
The group sets off for a five day journey up into the mountains to the south.
Ophelia will give Marcalla a wide berth, and will carefully observe her over the next few days. She will have her men deployed at the van and rear of the group, so she can jump to either end, or quickly form them up. ((Do you need me to identify who's in the front and the back?))
Awareness roll is an exploder, followed by a 10, for a total of 26.
On the 2nd day of travel, Ophelia is the first on to spot the dragon that is soaring in the thermals of the mountains. While the others are interested, no one seems on alert since it is far off. Carnifex comments that it would be a strong one that might take on a group like this that is obviously armed.
The group winds its way south towards the mountains. You make camp on the 2nd day at the foot of a pass that rises up. Honorius informs Ophelia they will reach the Tribunal tomorrow. He give you a history of the pass called Shipka Pass. The Tremere Founder battled some Theban magi here. Some think the battle caused a regio to be created where the Tribunal grounds are located.
In the late afternoon of the 3rd day, the group turns into a rocky ravine and soon crosses into the regio that was spoken of. It contains a valley that seems to be about a mile long. The hills on either side have been terraced. Honorius points out the huge Tribunal hall in the middle of the valley. it looks to be vaguely Greek in style.
Crispain leads Ophelia and her men up the western side. A smooth walkway climbs up to the gathering of tents and buildings that run along it's edge. He leads you to an open area and extracts what looks like a small, multifloored house from his backpack. Laterala gave this to me for our lodging. He places it in the middle of the field, steps back to the road and says Extractum in a loud voice.
The small house begins to unfold itself and grow larger and larger. After about 2 minutes a building that is a a larger duplicate of the small one stands on the spot. I'll just have to put the flag up and we will be open for business. Several of the nearby magi and Redcaps clap when it finishes.
The house has 8 bedrooms upstairs and a kitchen, common room and several smaller private rooms on the bottom floor.
"I've been meaning to do something similar for the longest time now. Not anything so grand as this, but have tents that could assemble themselves and the like." Ophelia glances around observing how easily defended the area can be, and then asks, "What about an Aegis?"
The valley is too large to cover so you will have to make due. Laterala had a temporary Aegis when she would travel. They will have one for the grounds around the hall. I'm sure someone will be by today to give your token.